mtjller



2 Sheeti s--Sheet. 1. W. MULLER. GAR COUPLING.

(No Model.)

Patented Feb. 3, .1885. 1 19.1

INVBNTOR ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Plmmmhu m m. Waslvingmn. D. cv

(No Model 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. MULLER. GAR COUPLING Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

Unrrnn Sra'rns l arnn'r @rrren.

XVILLIAM MULLER, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIAJASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND PHILIP BREITENBUCHER, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,667, dated February 3, 1385.

Application filed November 7, 1884. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that l, W ILLIAM MULLER, of Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and Improved Car-Coupling, of which the followingis a full,

clear, and exact description.

The objects of my invention are to provide for coupling cars automatically as they come together; also, to insure the coupling of cars 0 having draw-heads of unequal heights,and to provide for uncoupling the cars from the ground, at the sides of the cars, or from the tops of the ears, and without requiring the trainanen to go between the cars and expose themselves to injury.

The invention consists in particular eonstructions and combinations of parts of the draw-head and coupling and uncoupling devices, all as hereinafter fully described and 2 claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the end of a car having my improved coupling applied, and showing the connections for uncoupling from the side or top of the car. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the link device connecting the crossed uncoupling-levers. Fig. 8 is a detail plan View, in largersizc, showing one of the two coupled draw-heads in section; and Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation showing the draw-heads uncoupled.

The letter A indicates the draw-head of my improved coupling, which I prefer to make in one piece,of cast metal.

Bis a longitudinally-ranging cavity or chamber formed in the draw-head, to receive the coupling-hook, and O is the draw-bar, which is passed into the cavity B and through the plates D D, which are fitted to slide in the car sill or frame, and have interposed between them the buffer-spring E. The head a of the 5 draw-bar takes the draft-strain, and a nut or collar, 0, at its inner end holds the buffer plates and spring to the draw-head. A plate or keeper, F, bolted at f to the car'sill, holds the draw-head up to, proper working post tion and allows it the necessary side play.

The devices for connecting the draw-head A. to the car, and allowing its longitudinal and lateral movement and giving it vertical support, may have any usual or approved con struction.

The letter G indicates a castmetal. couplinghook, having a head, 9, and a vertical shoulder, and which is pivoted to the draw-head and within its cavity B by the vertical pin H, so that the coupling hook is adapted to ea gage a like hook of an opposing draw-head.

I is a spring fastened to the drawlicad at t, and bearing on the back of the couplinghook G, to press its hook-head outward and against the inner or rear face of a castmetal camplate, J, which is rigidly connected to a vertical pin, K, pivoted in the d "aw-head and projecting upward to receive the end of an uncoupling rod or lever, L, which connects rigidly with the pin K, and extends to one side of the car and through an opening, at, of a link plate or block, M, through an opening,

m, of which passes, at about a right angle with the lever L, the lever N, which is pivoted at a to the side of. the draw head and connects pivotally at a with the lower end of a lever,

O, which is fulcrumed at 0 to an arm, P, held to the car, and extends to the top of the car, and so that the cam-plate J may be turned horizontally against the coupling-hook G, to force its head back by operating either of the levers L N 0, while the tie link or block M serves to support one lever by the other. The front ends of the draw-heads are recessed, as

at a, and mainly at one side of the vertical centers of the opposing draw-heads, so that horns or lugs a are formed, which come outside of the main end parts, a ,of the opposing draw-head when the cars are coupled together. (See Fig. 3.) The cam-plates J form stops to 0 the opposing coupling-hooks G, so as to hold their hook-heads g normally beyond the inner face of the draw-heads at the recess a, so that as the cars come together for coupling the inclined outer faces, {1", of the hook-heads y will 5 strike each other, and one or both of the coupling hooks will be forced inward against the tension of the springs I until the shoulders 9' pass each other, when the springs I will cause the hooks to interlock automatically at their I00 shoulders gto couple the cars, the horns a preventing lateral separation of the drawheads, and relieving the heads of the coup-' ling-hooks from all strains tending to unlock them from each other, so that slight tension of the springs I is needed to hold the hooks in coupled position.

To uncouple the cars, either of the levers L N 0 will be worked to turn the cam-plate J on its pivot K, so as to carry theinner end or heel j of the cam against the coupling-hook G in front of its pivot H, to force the head 9 of the hook back into the recess B of the drawhead, and at the same time the outer end of the cam will-be moved against the face gof the opposing coupling-hook G and tend to force it back, the double action of the cam thus insuring always the separation of the couplinghooks, to allow the cars to be drawn apart. The levers L L of the opposing draw-heads extend sidewise in opposite directions, so that the uncoupling of the cars may be effected by operating either lever L at either side of. the train and by an attendant standing 011 the ground, and without requiring him to go between the cars; and the lever N O of either car may be operated to effect the uncoupling of the cars from their tops.

To adjust the couplings so that the cars will not couple as they come together, as often is required in shunting cars about the yard in making up trains or in pushing the cars on sidings, the coupling-hook heads 9 may be held within the recesses B of the draw-heads by holding either of the levers L N 0 back by hooks R or other suitable devices attached to the car. A stop pin or stud, S, may be provided on each of the drawheads, to limit the rebound of the uncoupling-levers by the force of the springs I as the coupling is effected. It will be noticed that the meeting faces of the opposing draw-heads A, at their recesses or sockets a, are in vertical planes, allowing free up-and-down play of the coupled draw-heads on each other, and as the coupling-hooks have considerable vertical range or length a secure coupling of opposing cars will be effected should their draw-heads vary considerably in heightsay eight or ten incheswhich is an important advantage.

Having thus described my inveution,I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head A, having a cavity, B, and a horn or lug, a, at one side of its vertically- 5 ranging end socket, a, of the pivoted coupling-hook G, having the head 9, means for pressing the hook outward for coupling, and a cam adapted to act upon both of the couplinghooks simultaneously to separate them, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In car-couplings, the combination, with the draw-head A, recessed at B, and having a socket, a, and horn a, as specified, of the pivoted coupling-hook G g, and means for 6 hook of the opposing draw-head, and means for operating the cam, substantially as shown and'described.

3. In car-couplings, the combination, with the draw-head A, recessed at B, and having a socket, a, and horn a, as specified, of the pivoted coupling-hook G g, the cam J, having double-acting partsjj, the spring-I, and means for operating the cam, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, in a cal-coupling, and with the draw-head A, recessed at B, and having a socket, a, and horn a, as specified, of the coupling-hook G g, the cam J, spring I, lever L, connected, tothe cam and extending to the side of the car, the lever N, tied by a 8 link, M, to the lever L, and the lever 0,-connected to lever N and extending to the top of the car, substantially as shown and described.

5. The tie-link M, having apertures m m,

in combination with the crossed uncoupliugo levers L N, substantially as shown and described.

' \VILLIAM MULLER.

Witnesses:

PAT. H. OWENS,

G. H. TANNER. 

